HRANA News Agency – The defense attorney for a young man sentenced to death has announced that his client will be executed early tomorrow morning.Kosha is a university student who has been convicted of murdering his classmate, Mahsa, on July 6, 2011 when she left Allameh Tabatabai University.Since the crime occurred on Tehran’s Modiriat Bridge, this murder is often referred to as “Modiriat Bridge Murder.”

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Mr. Aghasi, Kosha’s defense attorney, said, “On Monday morning, when I went to the Criminal Court in Tehran, the head of the Enforcement Unit tasked to carry out verdicts informed me that the retribution sentence against my client would be performed early tomorrow morning.”

In answer to the question whether Kosha and his family are aware of what will happen tomorrow, Mr. Aghasi answered, “Surely Kosha will know because prison officials must perform the necessary tasks to prepare a prisoner for execution.However, as far as the family is concerned, I prefer not to be the one who carries the bad news to them.”

HRANA News Agency – This morning, July 19, 2011, three prisoners were hanged publicly in Kermanshah’s Azadi Square on charges of kidnapping and adultery.These prisoners identified by their first names were Milad Q. (son of Shirali), Javad A. (son of Sultan) and Javad A. (son of Habib). Although the prisoners’ exact age was not released, Iranian authorities indicated that the prisoners’ average age was 21 years and two months.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on May 14, 2011 the Criminal Court of Western Eslamabad issued the death sentence, and on June 21, 2011, the Iranian Supreme Court, Branch 32, upheld this verdict.Finally, the executions occurred this morning.The entire legal process from the trial to the appeal and eventually the execution took two months and five days.

HRANA News Agency – Citing the Islamic Law of Retribution, Judge Noorollah Aziz Mohammadi presided over Tehran Province Criminal Court, Branch 71, and sentenced an elderly man identified by the name “Saman” to be hanged for the killing of his wife, Nahid.

According to a report by Fars News Agency, two years ago, when an old man was ordered to pay his wife’s mahrieh, he stabbed her twenty times, causing her death.[Mahrieh is an amount of money designated at the time of marriage to be paid by a groom to his bride whenever she demands it.] Tehran Province Criminal Court has sentenced this elderly man to be hanged.It has been reported that at the time of his arrest, he confessed to killing his wife.

On the day of the trial, the victim’s daughter addressed the court and said, “My parents were separated for two years but not divorced.My mother wanted to get a divorce, and for this reason, she had gone to the family court.”

She continued, “The court ordered my father to pay my mother’s mahrieh which was [approximately] $7,000, but my father didn’t want to pay her this money.They fought for this reason, and finally he killed her.”

During the trial, Saman took the stand and addressed the court as well.He said, “On the day of the incident, I went home after a long time.My wife started blaming and scorning me like always.Because of these problems and the mahrieh, we fought and in a split second, I stabbed her.”

Saman added, “I regretted what I had done and wanted to help Nahid.I dragged her body to the street in front of the house.Quickly, I went to a nearby clinic, but when I returned with doctors, her body had vanished.”

At the end, stating that he apologized for what he had done, the defender said, “I would like to ask my children and my wife’s family to forgive me.”

Following Saman’s statement, the court adjourned, and after consulting with advisors, Judge Noorollah Aziz Mohammadi sentenced the defender to die in retribution for the murder he had committed.

HRANA News Agency – The Chief Justice of Ardabil Province has announced that about forty citizens charged with drug trafficking have received the death penalty in this province.

According to a report by Mehr News Agency, on Saturday afternoon, July 2, 2011, while visiting with a group of citizens form Ardabil Province, Gholam Ali Rezai emphasized, “A number of verdicts issued by courts are currently going through the legal process, and the sentences will be carried out before long.”

Pointing out that the people of Ardabil Province will soon witness the execution of Iran’s national enemies of religion, morality, identity and beliefs, the Chief Justice of Ardabil Province added, “The Judiciary Branch will address the concerns of families regarding illegal drugs by hanging the dealers of death.”

HRANA News Agency – has announced that last year, one hundred forty individual charged with drug trafficking were executed in this province.

According to a report by Mehr News Agency (HRANA), on Saturday morning, June 25, 2011, during a ceremony to recognize and award outstanding staff members of South Khorasan Judiciary, Mohammad Bagher Bagheri said, “The Revolutionary Court deals swiftly and decisively with criminals and drug traffickers.”

Announcing that 38,000 cases were handled throughout the province last year, Mohammad Bagher Bagheri added, “This significant phenomenon is an indicator of comprehensive actions, plans and management spear headed by the judicial officials in South Khorasan.”

Pointing out the importance of the administrative role the Judiciary Branch plays, Hojatoleslam Baheri said, “This branch of government will also punish rapists with total decisiveness in the shortest amount of time.”

HRANA News Agency – While confirming five mass hangings of prisoners in Vakil Abad Prison, the public and revolutionary prosecutor in the city of Mashhad said, “The media exaggerates the execution of citizens accused of drug trafficking.”

According to a report by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISANA), in an attempt to justify recent mass executions, Mahmoud Zoghi said, “Foreign and counter-revolutionary news agencies are making a big deal about this issue.It must be noted that Razavi Khorasan Province and the city of Mashhad border Afghanistan from where illegal drugs enter the country.”

Mahmoud Zoghi added, “Currently, Razavi Khorasan Province and the city of Mashhad have the worst drug-related crimes throughout the country.In some cases, drugs are even imported into Mashhad from other parts of Iran.”

Furthermore, the public and revolutionary prosecutor explained, “According to drug trafficking laws, the punishment for the transportation, possession and trading of more than 30 grams of heroin is the death sentence.Since the largest amount of heroin is imported into the Razavi Khorasan Province, naturally, the highest number of executions will take place here.”

Confirming that five mass executions have occurred this year, Mahmoud Zoghi added, “A lot of our drug trafficking cases are related to crimes involving more than 10 kilograms of heroin.”

While mentioning the names of various individuals who have been hanged for drug trafficking, Mahmoud Zoghi said, “Considering the number of cases we have had, these many hangings are proportionally adequate.Foreign media is exaggerating the issue for no reason.”

HRANA News Agency – The Statistics, Publications and Achievements Division of Human Rights Activists in Iran has reported that thirteen prisoners accused of rape have been executed in various cities throughout Iran during the last thirty days.According to the policy set forth by Iran’s Judiciary Branch, twelve of these individuals were hanged in public in order to set examples and frighten the masses.

These executions have been happening while in recent days, the news of gang-rapes in Esfahan and Kashmar has caused increasingly sharp criticism of the Judiciary System that has failed to assist the victims who called the emergency services for help.

According to the report released by the Statistics, Publications and Achievements Division of Human Rights Activists in Iran, nine prisoners were also hanged in different cities throughout Iran from mid April to mid May.

It seems as if punishing the perpetrators of rape violently has produced reverse effects in dealing with this harmful social phenomenon such that the spokesman for Iran’s Judiciary Branch has indirectly pointed out that there are tens of rapes cases only in the city of Kashmar.

HRANA News Agency – On Thursday morning, May 9, 2011, two prisoners were hanged in public in the city of Nishapur, [Khorasan Province.]

In an interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Mahmoud Rafsanjani, the Chief Justice of Nishapur, identified the prisoners “Mohammad M.” and “Mokhtar A.”While Mahmoud Rafsanjani didn’t disclose the prisoners’ ages, he further explained that they were charged with raping a woman.

On Wednesday, May 8, 2011, another prison in the city of Kerman was also executed.

HRANA News Agency – On May 23, 2011, An Azeri citizen in Salmas Prison [West Azerbaijan Province] and an Afghani in Evin Prison were hanged.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Abdullah Jaber and Mohammad Kosha were hanged on May 23, 2011.Judicial authorities announced that these prisoners were charged with drug trafficking.

Jame Jam Newspaper has reported that a citizen of Afghanistan was hanged on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 in Evin Prison on charges of killing his wife.Additionally, a Blauchi prisoner was executed in Evin Prison.

Adding these executions to this month’s total, two individuals have been hanged every twenty four hours during this month.

HRANA News Agency – Four prisoners convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in Kerman’s central prison after their death sentences were confirmed by Iran’s Attorney General.

According to the justice court in Kerman Province, one prisoner was convicted of possessing 980 grams of heroin and 28 grams of opium, and two other individuals were guilty of trafficking 137 kilos and 200 grams of opium.The fourth prisoner was convicted of transporting and possessing 26 kilos and 257 grams of heroin, 55 kilos of morphine and 39 grams of opium.